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11The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Christ's Entrance into
Jerusalem.

1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and
were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus
two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over
against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt
with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord
hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All
this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy
King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt
the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as
Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt,
and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the
way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed
them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went
before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of
David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into
Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of
Galilee.

All the four evangelists take notice of
this passage of Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem,
five days before his death. The passover was on the fourteenth day
of the month, and this was the tenth; on which day the law
appointed that the paschal lamb should be taken up (Exod. xii. 3), and set apart for that
service; on that day therefore Christ our Passover, who was to be
sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. So that this was the
prelude to his passion. He had lodged at Bethany, a village not far
from Jerusalem, for some time; at a supper there the night before
Mary had anointed his feet,John xii. 3. But, as usual with ambassadors,
he deferred his public entry till some time after his arrival. Our
Lord Jesus travelled much, and his custom was to travel on foot
from Galilee to Jerusalem, some scores of miles, which was both
humbling and toilsome; many a dirty weary step he had when he
went about doing good. How ill does it become Christians to be
inordinately solicitous about their own ease and state, when their
Master had so little of either! Yet once in his life he rode in
triumph; and it was now when he went into Jerusalem, to suffer and
die, as if that were the pleasure and preferment he courted; and
then he thought himself begin to look great.

Now here we have,

I. The provision that was made for this
solemnity; and it was very poor and ordinary, and such as bespoke
his kingdom to be not of this world. Here were no
heralds at arms provided, no trumpet sounded before him, no
chariots of state, no liveries; such things as these were not
agreeable to his present state of humiliation, but will be far
outdone at his second coming, to which his magnificent appearance
is reserved, when the last trumpet shall sound, the glorious angels
shall be his heralds and attendants, and the clouds his chariots.
But in this public appearance,

1. The preparation was sudden and offhand.
For his glory in the other world, and ours with him, preparation
was made before the foundation of the world, for that was the glory
his heart was upon; his glory in this world he was dead to, and
therefore, though he had it in prospect, did not forecast for it,
but took what came next. They were come to Bethphage, which was the
suburb of Jerusalem, and was accounted (say the Jewish doctors) in
all things, as Jerusalem, a long scattering street that lay toward
the mount of Olives; when he entered upon that, he sent two of
his disciples, some think Peter and John, to fetch him an ass,
for he had none ready for him.

2. It was very mean. He sent only for an
ass and her colt, v.
2. Asses were much used in that country for travel;
horses were kept only by great men, and for war. Christ could have
summoned a cherub to carry him (Ps.
xviii. 10); but though by his name Jah, which
speaks him God, he rides upon the heavens, yet now by his
name Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, in his state of
humiliation, he rides upon an ass. Yet some think that he
had herein an eye to the custom in Israel for the judges to ride
upon white asses (Judg. v.
10), and their sons on ass-colts, Judg. xii. 14. And Christ would thus enter,
not as a Conqueror, but as the Judge of Israel, who for judgment
came into this world.

3. It was not his own, but borrowed. Though
he had not a house of his own, yet, one would think, like some
wayfaring men that live upon their friends, he might have had an
ass of his own, to carry him about; but for our sakes he became in
all respects poor, 2 Cor. viii.
9. It is commonly said, "They that live on borrowing,
live on sorrowing;" in this therefore, as in other things, Christ
was a man of sorrows—that he had nothing of this world's
goods but what was given him or lent him.

The disciples who were sent to borrow this
ass are directed to say, The Lord has need of him. Those
that are in need, must not be ashamed to own their need, nor say,
as the unjust steward, To beg I am ashamed,Luke xvi. 3. On the other hand, none
ought to impose upon the kindness of their friends, by going to beg
or borrow when they have not need. In the borrowing of this
ass,

(1.) We have an instance of Christ's
knowledge. Though the thing was altogether contingent, yet Christ
could tell his disciples where they should find an ass tied, and a
colt with her. His omniscience extends itself to the meanest of his
creatures; asses and their colts, and their being bound or loosed.
Doth God take care for oxen? (1
Cor. ix. 9.) No doubt he doth, and would not see
Balaam's ass abused. He knows all the creatures, so as to make them
serve his own purpose.

(2.) We have an instance of his power over
the spirits of men. The hearts of the meanest subjects, as well as
of kings, are in the hand of the Lord. Christ asserts his
right to use the ass, in bidding them bring it to him; the fulness
of the earth is the Lord Christ's; but he foresees some hindrance
which disciples might meet with in this service; they must not take
them clam et secreto—privily, but in the sight of the
owner, much less vi et armis—with force and arms, but with
the consent of the owner, which he undertakes they shall have;
If any man say aught to you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of
him. Note, What Christ sets us to do, he will bear us out in
the doing of, and furnish us with answers to the objections we may
be assaulted with, and make them prevalent; as here, Straightway
he will send them. Christ, in commanding the ass into his
service, showed that he is Lord of hosts; and, in inclining the
owner to send him without further security, showed that he is the
God of the spirits of all flesh, and can bow men's
hearts.

(3.) We have an example of justice and
honesty, in not using the ass, though for so small a piece of
service as riding the length of a street or two, without the
owner's consent. As some read the latter clause, it gives us a
further rule of justice; "You shall say the Lord hath need of
them, and he" (that is, the Lord) "will presently send them
back, and take care that they be safely delivered to the owner,
as soon as he has done with them." Note, What we borrow we must
restore in due time and in good order; for the wicked borrows
and pays not again. Care must be taken of borrowed goods, that
they be not damaged. Alas, Master, for it was borrowed!

II. The prediction that was fulfilled in
this, v. 4, 5. Our
Lord Jesus, in all that he did and suffered, had very much his eye
upon this, That the scriptures might be fulfilled. As the
prophets looked forward to him (to him they all bare witness), so
he looked upon them, that all things which were written of the
Messiah, might be punctually accomplished in him. This particularly
which was written of him, Zech. ix.
9, where it ushers in a large prediction of the kingdom
of the Messiah, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King
cometh, must be accomplished. Now observe here,

1. How the coming of Christ is foretold;
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, the church, the holy mountain,
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee. Note, (1.) Jesus Christ
is the church's King, one of our brethren like unto us, according
to the law of the kingdom, Deut. xvii.
15. He is appointed King over the church, Ps. ii. 6. He is accepted King by the
church; the daughter of Sion swears allegiance to him, Hos. i. 11. (2.) Christ, the King of
his church, came to his church, even in this lower world; he comes
to thee, to rule thee, to rule in thee, to rule for thee; he is
Head over all things to the church. He came to Sion
(Rom. xi. 26), that out of
Sion the law might go forth; for the church and its interests were
all in all with the Redeemer. (3.) Notice was given to the church
beforehand of the coming of her King; Tell the daughter of
Sion. Note, Christ will have his coming looked for, and waited
for, and his subjects big with expectation of it; Tell the
daughters of Sion, that they may go forth, and behold King
Solomon,Cant. iii. 11.
Notices of Christ's coming are usually ushered in with a
Behold! A note commanding both attention and admiration;
Behold thy King cometh; behold, and wonder at him, behold,
and welcome him. Here is a royal progress truly admirable. Pilate,
like Caiaphas, said he knew not what, in that great word (John xix. 14), Behold your
King.

2. How his coming is described. When a king
comes, something great and magnificent is expected, especially when
he comes to take possession of his kingdom. The King, the Lord of
hosts, was seen upon a throne, high and lifted up (Isa. vi. 1); but there is nothing of
that here; Behold, he cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an
ass. When Christ would appear in his glory, it is in his
meekness, not in his majesty.

(1.) His temper is very mild. He comes not
in wrath to take vengeance, but in mercy to work salvation. He is
meek to suffer the greatest injuries and indignities for Sion's
cause, meek to bear with the follies and unkindness of Sion's own
children. He is easy of access, easy to be entreated. He is meek
not only as a Teacher, but as a Ruler; he rules by love. His
government is mild and gentle, and his laws not written in the
blood of his subjects, but in his own. His yoke is easy.

(2.) As an evidence of this, his appearance
is very mean, sitting upon an ass, as creature made not for state,
but service, not for battles, but for burthens; slow in its
motions, but sure, and safe, and constant. The foretelling of this
so long before, and the care taken that it should be exactly
fulfilled, intimate it to have a peculiar significancy, for the
encouragement of poor souls to apply themselves to Christ. Sion's
King comes riding, not on a prancing horse, which the timorous
petitioner dares not come near, or a running horse, which the
slow-footed petitioner cannot keep pace with, but on a quiet ass,
that the poorest of his subjects may not be discouraged in their
access to him. Mention is made in the prophecy of a colt, the
foal of an ass; and therefore Christ sent for the colt
with the ass, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

III. The procession itself, which was
answerable to the preparation, both being destitute of worldly
pomp, and yet both accompanied with a spiritual power.

Observe, 1. His equipage; The disciples
did as Jesus commanded them (v. 6); they went to fetch the ass and
the colt, not doubting but to find them, and to find the owner
willing to lend them. Note, Christ's commands must not be disputed,
but obeyed; and those that sincerely obey them, shall not be balked
or baffled in it; They brought the ass and the colt. The
meanness and contemptibleness of the beast Christ rode on, might
have been made up with the richness of the trappings; but those
were, like all the rest, such as came next to hand; they had not so
much as a saddle for the ass, but the disciples threw some of their
clothes upon it, and that must serve for want of better
accommodations. Note, We ought not to be nice or curious, or to
affect exactness, in outward conveniences. A holy indifference or
neglect well becomes us in these things: it will evidence that our
heart is not upon them, and that we have learned the apostle's rule
(Rom. xii. 16, margin),
to be content with mean things. Any thing will serve
travellers; and there is a beauty in some sort of carelessness, a
noble negligence; yet the disciples furnished him with the best
they had, and did not object the spoiling of their clothes when
the Lord had need of them. Note, We must not think the
clothes on our backs too dear to part with for the service of
Christ, for the clothing of his poor destitute and afflicted
members. I was naked, and you clothed me,ch. xxv. 36. Christ stripped himself
for us.

2. His retinue; there was nothing in this
stately or magnificent. Sion's King comes to Sion, and the daughter
of Sion was told of his coming long before; yet he is not attended
by the gentlemen of the country, nor met by the magistrates of the
city in their formalities as one might have expected; he should
have had the keys of the city presented to him, and should have
been conducted with all possible convenience to the thrones of
judgment, the thrones of the house of David; but here is
nothing of all this; yet he has his attendants, a very great
multitude; they were only the common people, the mob (the
rabble we should have been apt to call them), that graced
the solemnity of Christ's triumph, and none but such. The chief
priests and the elders afterward herded themselves with the
multitude that abused him upon the cross; but we find none of them
here joining with the multitude that did him honour. Ye see here
your calling, brethren, not many mighty, or noble, attend on
Christ, but the foolish things of this world and base things,
which are despised,1 Cor. i.
26, 28. Note, Christ is honoured by the multitude, more
than by the magnificence, of his followers; for he values men by
their souls, not by their preferments, names, or titles of
honour.

Now, concerning this great multitude, we
are here told,

(1.) What they did; according to the best
of their capacity, they studied to do honour to Christ. [1.]
They spread their garments in the way, that he might ride
upon them. When Jehu was proclaimed king, the captains put their
garments under him, in token of their subjection to him. Note,
Those that take Christ for their King must lay their all under his
feet; the clothes, in token of the heart; for when Christ comes,
though not when any one else comes, it must be said to the soul,
Bow down, that he may go over. Some think that these garments
were spread, not upon the ground, but on the hedges or walls, to
adorn the roads; as, to beautify a cavalcade, the balconies are
hung with tapestry. This was but a poor piece of state, yet Christ
accepted their good-will; and we are hereby taught to contrive how
to make Christ welcome, Christ and his grace, Christ and his
gospel, into our hearts and houses. How shall we express our
respects to Christ? What honour and what dignity shall be done to
him? [2.] Others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed
them in the way, as they used to do at the feast of
tabernacles, in token of liberty, victory, and joy; for the mystery
of that feast is particularly spoken of as belonging to gospel
times, Zech. xiv. 16.

(2.) What they said; They that went
before, and they that followed, were in the same tune; both
those that gave notice of his coming, and those that attended him
with their applauses, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of
David,v. 9. When
they carried branches about at the feast of tabernacles, they were
wont to cry Hosanna, and from thence to call their bundles
of branches their hosannas. Hosanna signifies, Save now,
we beseech thee; referring to Ps. cxviii. 25, 26, where the Messiah is
prophesied of as the Head-stone of the corner, though the
builders refused him; and all his loyal subjects are brought in
triumphing with him, and attending him with hearty good wishes to
the prosperity of all his enterprises. Hosanna to the Son of
David is, "This we do in honour of the Son of David."

The hosannas with which Christ was attended
bespeak two things:

[1.] Their welcoming his kingdom.
Hosanna bespeaks the same with, Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord. It was foretold concerning this Son of
David, that all nations shall call him blessed (Ps. lxxii. 17); these here began, and
all true believers in all ages concur in it, and call him blessed;
it is the genuine language of faith. Note, First, Jesus
Christ comes in the name of the Lord; he is sanctified, and
sent into the world, as Mediator; him hath God the Father
sealed. Secondly, The coming of Christ in the name of the Lord,
is worthy of all acceptation; and we all ought to say,
Blessed is he that cometh; to praise him, and be pleased in
him. Let his coming in the name of the Lord be mentioned with
strong affections, to our comfort, and joyful acclamations, to his
glory. Well may we say, Blessed is he; for it is in him that
we are blessed. Well may we follow him with our blessings,
who meets us with his.

[2.] Their wishing well to his kingdom;
intimated in their Hosanna; earnestly desiring that
prosperity and success may attend it, and that it may be a
victorious kingdom; "Send now prosperity to that kingdom."
If they understood it of a temporal kingdom, and had their hearts
carried out thus toward that, it was their mistake, which a little
time would rectify; however, their good-will was accepted. Note, It
is our duty earnestly to desire and pray for the prosperity and
success of Christ's kingdom in the world. Thus prayer must be
made for him continually (Ps.
lxxii. 15), that all happiness may attend his interest
in the world, and that, though he may ride on an ass, yet in his
majesty he may ride prosperously, because of that
meekness,Ps. xlv. 4.
This we mean when we pray, Thy kingdom come. They add,
Hosanna in the highest: Let prosperity in the highest degree
attend him, let him have a name above every name, a throne above
every throne; or, Let us praise him in the best manner for his
church ascend to heaven, to the highest heavens, and fetch in peace
and salvation from thence. See Ps. xx.
6. The Lord saveth his Anointed, and will hear from
his high, his holy heaven.

3. We have here his entertainment in
Jerusalem (v. 10);
When he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved;
every one took notice of him, some were moved with wonder at the
novelty of the thing, others with laughter at the meanness of it;
some perhaps were moved with joy, who waited for the Consolation
of Israel; others, of the Pharisaical class, were moved with
envy and indignation. So various are the motions in the minds of
men upon the approach of Christ's kingdom!

Upon this commotion we are further
told,

(1.) What the citizens said; Who is
this? [1.] They were, it seems, ignorant concerning Christ.
Though he was the Glory of his people Israel, yet Israel
knew him not; though he had distinguished himself by the many
miracles he wrought among them, yet the daughters of
Jerusalem knew him not from another beloved,Cant. v. 9. The Holy One unknown in the
holy city! In places where the clearest light shines, and the
greatest profession of religion is made, there is more ignorance
than we are. [2.] Yet they were inquisitive concerning him. Who is
this that is thus cried, and comes with so much observation? Who
is this King of glory, that demands admission into our hearts?
Ps. xxiv. 8; Isa. lxiii.
1.

(2.) How the multitude answered them;
This is Jesus,v.
11. The multitude were better acquainted with Christ
than the great ones. Vox populi—The voice of the people, is
sometimes Vox Dei—the voice of God. Now, in the account
they give of him, [1.] They were right in calling him the
Prophet, that great Prophet. Hitherto he had been known as a
Prophet, teaching and working miracles; now they attend him as a
King; Christ's priestly office was, of all the three, last
discovered. [2.] Yet they missed it, in saying he was of
Nazareth; and it helped to confirm some in their prejudices
against him. Note, Some that are willing to honour Christ, and bear
their testimony to him, yet labour under mistakes concerning him,
which would be rectified if they would take pains to inform
themselves.